Extremely overpriced for what you get. This hostel was possibly the worst place we both visited across our many trips. First of all it is hard to find. Staff was grumpy and unhelpful. Technically, there is a kitchen but no equipment whatsoever (not a single cutting knife and 2 pots a hostel as big as this one). Toilets are few and dirty, so are showers. No atmosphere whatsoever, you can find more positive vibes at a funeral than at this place. As other people mentioned, their Wifi sucks and is only available in the lobby. As a result the lobby is only filled with people glued to their smartphones. If you value your mood not being ruined while on holiday, look for something else if you want to stay in Helsinki.

TWSP

Age 25

2015-08-17

HI - Helsinki - Stadion Hostel is the closest to "Babel Tower" you can get. Because of its size and the fact that Helsinki doesn't offer many options of hostels, you'll see people from all around the world. And by being "in" a stadium you may feel like an athlete, with some of the good and the bad things that come with it.
The Location
Its location is not central. You have to take a tram, and the directions the hostel provides don't inform which stop you should leave the tram (it's Auroran sairaala [Aurora Hospital]) -- one tram driver confused this with Eira Hospital stop, and a lot of time was wasted). Also, there are two directions for the same tram, one takes much longer than the other to reach the stop.You should cross the street in front of the train station and take the tram on the other side. Once you arrive, it won't be so easy to walk around -- besides the stadiums there's not much in that region. You'll have to walk at least five hundred meters to find the closest restaurant.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are big, for many people. There are no lockers in the rooms, only a few in the corridors that lead you to the rooms. All of them were taken at some point, and the people who arrived later had to leave luggage in the room. It seems the rooms hosted athletes before, they look like so. The matresses are really old and thin, you can feel the base of the bed, but the linen and towels are ok.
The bathrooms can be quite far from the rooms, since there are only a few for many rooms (there are around thirty). The bathrooms don't have space for putting your clothes, only a bench that is supposed to be common for all three showers. On the other hand, cleaning is done regularly, and the drains don't flood.
Common Spaces
There are several common spaces, such as a small library, a TV room, a kitchen, and a cafeteria (that is open only for breakfast -- which is not included -- something for dinner could also be thought of). Wi-Fi is provided for free, but you can only access it in the lobby or the cafeteria (and this can be more than one hundred meters from your room). With all these options there's always someone willing to chat, and his/her nationality can range from India to Netherlands, from Chile to Russia. So there's plenty of room for knowing different people, and finding colleagues for party in the night, although clubs are not close to the hostel.
Summary
It seems Stadion Hostel is the cheapest option in the expensive Helsinki, because of its not central location and its "old" furniture and spaces. But if you wanna meet people from all over, you can hardly find some other place with such an opportunity.

Vinicius Tragante

(Belgium)

2010-06-14

Ok

You probably want to take the tram if you're coming from the train station or harbor. And I would take the tram too if you're going to city center (market square and the three smiths). I stayed in a twelve-bed dorm. The room is ok, except my room doesn't seem to require a key card to go in, unlike other rooms in the hostel. There are lockers outside my room, though some of them seem somewhat broken. Bathroom is fine (looks like they recently put shower curtains on the guys showers). They have two machines for free internet (a short wait most of the time). Overall, it's probably not the best hostel there is, but I guess it's an ok place to stay.

Robbie

(USA)

2007-08-03

I guess I would stay here again, and recommend it but with some comments. The staff were polite enough but seemed like they had worked there too long. The showers/bathrooms were clean enough. The ladies toilets were a little off putting as they didn't have closed sanitary disposal bins. It seems to lack character and is a bit sterile here, but most HIs I've found are like this. It is definitely removed from the city centre, sorry but I don't agree that it's centrally located. It's a good hike and especially with your packs on even more so. I would recommend being a fit person or expect to take some breaks along the way to/from ferry or train terminals.

Tina

2006-12-05

My friend and I decided to resolve the great "How long to walk there from the station debate". Allowing for time to get our bearings and assuming you don't stop for pedestrian lights it took two fit boys 25 minutes to walk there at a medium-fast pace with 15kg packs. So now we know.
The hostel itself is a large HI hostel built around the old olympic stadium. It's about as clean as most HI hostels are, I spotted the same unidentified body product in a sink two mornings in a row.
I also get a sense the they are poor at maintaining this hostel. For example three out of four urinals in the mens toilets had black plastic over them to stop you using them, I am assuming they were broken!
On the up side the breakfast is good and the staff friendly. Watch out for that 3AM lockout though, Helsinki tends to close at 4AM and we got trapped.
All in all there are better options in Helsinki if you look around, my friend moved to another HI closer to the city which he said was better, although I didn't go there myself. Andy Hall 26/9/06

Andy Hall

2006-09-26

We stayed here 15-16 JUL 2004. This was an excellent hostel for myself and my two children (daughter, 13; son, 15). I had made the reservation for this hostel less than 48 hours prior, and I think I was lucky to get in here. All of the other hostels were full. We had just arrived from St. Petersburg on the train, and it was extremely easy for us to find Stadion. The directions are simple, the tram is effecient, and food (McDonalds--accepted my charge card) is not too far away if you're starving. The downside was no readily evident, easy use sauna, which is a plus at the other hostels. Regardless, I found this a wonderful place for us to stay! I recommend it to anybody else with family. (In fact, I met another family motor/camping throughout Scandinavia, who are going all the way to North Cape and the islands!)

John "Juanito Hayburg" Eyberg

2006-02-26

Fantastic location. An Olympic stadium! The facilities were excellent. It was a quiet place but I can imagine that it can get very busy. Trams stop nearby so it is very handy for the city center.

Carlos

2005-03-07

This hostel is part of the stadium built for the Helsinikii Olympic games in 1952. The hostel itself is pretty uninspiring as the colouring and surroundings are grey and concrete. The atmosphere is not exactly "cold," but certainly not what one would call fun or friendly. The staff are polite enough, and will answer any questions, but rarely offer information or seem interested in a traveller's experiences.
The dorm rooms are good and warm, and the beds are comfortable. There is no area for socialising inside, although there is a courtyard outside that would be nice in the summer. The bathrooms offer communal showers (without separation between showers), which may not be to everone's liking, but the state of the bathrooms was acceptable. The water is hot and plentiful, and the water pressure is great.
The dorm is closed between 10:00 and 16:00 (4 pm), but if you're there for seeing the city, that's not a problem. Baggage can be stored in the baggage room, so it will be safe while you are out on the town. There is a curfew, so watch the clock if out partying. The hostel is an easy 2.5km or so from the centre of town, or you can take the trams (numbers 3 and 7 go right past the hostel, and number 4 goes past a nearby street).
All in all, the hostel is definitely worth the cost if you're after a good bed and a hot shower after looking around Helsinki. If you want more atmosphere to your experience, there are other places, but few will match the price.